Photographic-camera shutter.



G. J. DIGKSON. PHOTOGRAPHIG CAMERA SHUTTBR.

-ALPLmA/Tlox FILED AUG. 1o, 1911.

Vlllll raigntedvec. 17, 1912;

GILBERT J. Dickson, or ankam?, Naw Yonx. rHoToenAPme-cmnm snUTTnn;

Specification of Letters Patent. Application llled August 10, 1'911. Serial No. 648,334.

Patented Dee. 17, 1912.

To all whom it ma/y concern.'

Be it known that I, GILBERT J. DroKsoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Alban in the county of Albany and State of ew York, have invented certain Anew and useful Improvements in Photographic-Camera Shutters, of which the folowlng. is a specification.

This invention in itsfpresent form, relates moref'particularly to photographic shutters between-the lenses, but may be adaptedto any position of the/shutter.

The objects of my invention are to produce a photographic shutter, lst, that will give equal exposure to all parts of the sensitive film; 2nd, that will always give the expcsurevto-r which it is set, and not be materially affected by dust or dampnessjBrd, in which the exposures are made midway be.- tween the release and stopping of the shutter which makes a revolution at each exposure, and, 4th, in which the length of the several exposures is obtained by a subdivision of the lon est exposure opening the shutter will ma to pass the lens opening with the slowest regulated speed, which may be verified by comparison with one second of time and regulated by the exhaust valve, and in which the closing follows the opening of theshutter in the same direction.

My invention consists of a rotary shutter composed of disks having an open space on Cne side of the center bearing of each disk and mounted on separate arbors one within vthe other. The inner arbor is connected with a levernrm having a'coupling device, whereby the open spaces between the shutter disks may be relatively adjusted for the several Vexposures from the front of the outercase. The outer arbor is geared to a spring actuated operating arm having an ungearing and gearinglever land provided with detents and 4release V catches and a stop lock for time and instantaneous exposures and connected with the plunger of a speedgovernor, having an adjustable exhaust valve 'for regulating the speed of saidL operating arm. This invent-ion further consists in certain novel details of construction and combination of parts herein'shown and described.

In the drawings which constitute part of 'this specification, Figure l is a front elevation of my improved photographic shutter,

showing different positions of the several- "parts in process of operation and indicating e which takes one second. of time diaphragm stops on the louter case. Fig. 2 is a verticalsection of Fig. l, taken on the line Y Y. F' 3 is a section of Fig. 1, taken on theline main spring and bearings of the operating arm. Fig. 4 is a reverse or inside elevation of Fig. l, showing the shutter disks covering the lens opening. Fig. 5 is an inside elevation of the back, showing the diaphragm or stop disk. Fig. 6-is a detached ,face view of the operating pinion and fiange to which one of the shutter disks is fastened. Fig. 7 is a detached view of the hollow arbor partly in section to which one of the disks is attached. Fig; 8 is a detached part sectional l1 Z'more clearly showing the the length of the exposures and size of the view of a bracket' carrying the center stud pin upon which the shutter mechanism rotates. Fig. 9 is a detached view of the operating arm audits gearing-and ungearing lever. Fig. l() is a detachedview/of the main spring and hub of the operatingarm. Fig. ll is a partial sectional view of the'.lower end'oi'l the speed governor. Fig. '12 is a pare tial section of Fig. 1, taken on the line 1* 1.

Simi-lar letters and ligures of referenceinf dicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.' I

The outer case is made in two parts, the front part V has formed-around 1ts border the rim 7 having lugs 4, 5 and 6, on the inside of ysaid rim as shown in Fig. 4. The back art V of the case as shown in Fig. 5, may` attached b -screws tosaid lugs of part V. The case as lens cellfopenings 38 andto one side of the center of said case. Said openingsare surrounded by the rims a and a formln sockets into which the lens cells W and are screwed as shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3. 'The case shell V has se- 'in the front and back oppositeeach other 4' cured to it the bracket I, having rigidly fastened to its center the` stud `pin f which extends through an opening in the centerof saidicase shell V'as shown in Fig. 2. Thecenter stud pin f'carries vthe'cornbined, flanged hollow arbor andpinion and the hollow arbor g, to which the shutter disksC and. C vare attachedI as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The shutter disk C is secured to the flange of the combined arbor and pinion z.. The hol low arbor g is fitted to turn in the arbor L and carries on its inner end the shutter disk C which is prevented from turning thereon by the plate 1 having inwardly projecting shaped teeth 'wand w which fit into corroo Figs. lhand 2. When 'sai'd 1 ydotted lines. the operating 'arm' 1G 'moved the len washer friction bearing to prevent it acted `upon by the springs stop lock 18 responding grooves formed in thethreaded end-i of the arbor gas shown in F' 4. The plate lc is riveted to the shutter didi C and held on the arbor g against the Shutter disk C by the screw nut m and spring washer j and may be tightened to the desired pressure against the shutter disk C holding the two shutter disks together as one for operation, while permitting them to be turned on each other to adjust the exposure opening between said disks by the lever e having its -hub d tted to turn on the outer end of the center stud pin f as shown in lever e is pressed down as shown in full'lines in Fig. 8, it engages the notch 10 in the flange of the holl'ow -arbor g to which the shutter disk C is fastened, and by s'wi'nginclr the lever e to the right or left the'shutter disks are opened or closed and when said lever is released it is raised by the spring 9 to the position shown by dottedlines in Fig. 8 disengaging said arborv and leaving'th'e shutter free to be operated. The operating arm Gr and itsl ungearing and gearing `lever H are pivoted together on the stud pin 13 rigidly fastened in the arm G as shown in Figs. 1 and 9.' .The hub N is reduced at its ends and journaled in the case V and bracket I as shown in Fig. 3, andicarries the mainxsprin T attached to its inner end and case Ran the operating arm G and its lever H, and ratchet b secured to said hub by a pin and engaged by the pawl c onstud pin 13, whereby the tension of spring T is regulated as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. l

The pivot hole in the arm/G beingelongated and that in the lever H fittin the hub N closely, by rocking -said lever on the stud 'pin 13,'by turning the combined pin` ion and thumb-wheel g carried on the traveling end ofthe operating arm Gr' to the right, the ivot end ofl` said farm is lh of the elongation of its ivot hole, which willungear said arm G om] linion 71. of the shutter as shown in 'The traveling end of is pivoted to the plunger 33 of the speed governor E, and carries the aforesaid combined thumb-wheel and p inion--gsecuredto said arm G by a spring om being turned by any strain on the lever H to which it is geared as'showiidotted linesv in Figs. 1 and 3. The operating arm G is also provided with the arm 16, which. engages the detents and releasing spring catches o andp pivoted to thelv case V on the stud screw 17. The catch p is longer than said catch o,

n and 19 and in `such a manner catches may be operated together or separately for time or instantaneous exposures or focusing, as will`hereinafter be described..

time exposures or '24 andoperat@ by full and (see Fig. 1) and...-

that saidr` lThe spring nis fastened to the case V by rivets and acts on theback of both catches o and p. The spring 19 is secured to catch 0 and acts on the front ofcatch p causing catch p to operate with catch 0. when not locked by the stop 18. The arm 20 of catch p and the arm- 'stud pin 22 of the releasing lever D as shown by full and dotted lines in. Figs. 1 and 12. The arm 21 of catch 0 being nearer the stud pin 22 of the releasing lever D then arm 20 of catch 111/ is first released from the arm 16 of the operating arm G when the releasing lever D is operated. The stop lock 18 is secured to the case V by a friction bearing so that ait will remain which it is placed until forced to another. Said stop is provided with the handle 15 whereby it may be swung -in or out of contact with the arm 20 of catch p as shown by full and dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The arm s carrying the spring catch 21 as shown more clearly in detached view, is pivoted to the case V,"its traveling end resting between the stud pins 22 and 25 in the releasing lever D by which it is operated at the same time as catches o and p. When catch p is lfockedby the stop 18 as shown by fultv lines in Fig. 1,l and the operating arm G in the position shown .by dotted lines in said figure, and the releasing lever D operated, the arm 16 of the operating arm Gr will. first be released from catch o and pass to catchl p in any position in' which being locked by stop 18 holds said operating arm, leaving the shutter open for focusing. Thearm s as before mentioned carries the spring catch at the same time as catch 0, the hook shaped end of said spring passing up oyer the shoulder o of the stop 18, the spring giving to the form of the stop without unlocking it.-A Whe'n the releasing lever' D is returned to its former position it carries the arm s with it and the hook or catch on the end of said spring engages the shoulder o lof the stop 18, removing said stop oil' the arm 20 of catch p, leavingx it free to be released fromv arm 16 by t e next releasing movement of the lever D as shown by dotted lines 'in/Fig. 1'. The spring S which holds the lever D in a set position is fastened to t-he case V and bears on the stud pi-n 26 of the lever D, (see Figsland 12).

The pneumatic pump F as shown in Figs. 1' and 12, is pivoted to the case V at its lower end and-the stud pin t secured in lever D at its uppergyend and operated by pneumatic action. 'I lhe releasing lever lw is pivoted to the inside of the case .V close to the rim 7 thereof, its hoe shaped inward projecting edge 32 resting upon the outer edge of the shutter disks and operated by the releasing lever D bythe 'stud pin 34 fastened in the lever 'u working in a slot formed in the lever D as shown-by full/ and dottedV lines in Fig. 4. The speed governor E as shown in Fig. 11, consists of an inner and outer tube fitted to move closely and freely one within' in Fig. l, and divided by-t-he partition 3` forming t-he countersink or cup z' on its inner end, the rim of which is made thin and sharpened to a knife edge at 2 to avoid an angle at that point by the plunger and cylinder, thereby preventing the compressed air from readily escaping between the said plunger and cylinder. The exhaust being mainly through the valve may be regulated by closing or opening said valve.

I am aware that compressed air has been used to regulate the length of exposures in photographic shutters, butnot in the manner in which I am using it. Heretofore the length of the exposures was governed by the length of the movement of the piston within the compressed air cylinder, that is, the shutter after being opened was held until the air that had been drawn or forced into the cylinder under the piston by the releasing action of the shutter was forced out again by gravity vor o-therwise by the piston the release being usually by pneumatic action with a collapsible bulb by hand pressure. If the pressure is quick and strong the piston will be raised to its limit, and the air compressed. Whereas if the pressure of the bulb 1s weak and slow the piston may not reach its limit and may return much faster than where the air was more stronOly compressed. Therefore, the length of yhe exposure depends as much on the amount of air drawn or forced into the cylinder as the length of the movement of the piston. In my improved shutter I do not regulate the lengthv of the exposure by the length of the movement of the iston or plunger only t-he speed of the s utter mechanism which can be tested at any time by comparison with one second of time and the speed regulated accordingly by the adjustable valve The length of the several exposures are obtained by a subdivision of thelongest exposure openlng the shutter will make with the slowest regulated speed of the shutter mechanism which passes the lens opening in one second oftime, it being only necessary to use two speeds of the shutter mechanism to give exposures from onel second of time to one one thousandth of a second of time, the one a closed regulated exhaust, the other anopen exhaust. Various speeds may be obtained also byshifting the pivot of the plunger on the operating arm.

Furthermore the operatingarm after. it is released travels nearly one fourth of "fits movement, compressing the air in the cylinder before the shutter opens, so .that its movement afterward is regular. And the longl and quick movement of the plunger gives greater compression to the air, permitting the use of a strong main s ring action that will not be materiall a ected by dust or dampness. I do not orce air into the cylinder by pneumatic action of a collapsible bulb, only the natural suction of the plunger as the operating arm is moved to a set posit-ion as shown ,by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The shutter disks C and C as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 may be madefof any suitable material. Each disk is cut away on one side of its centei` bearing, and overlap each other as shown in Fig. 4^.' The shutter disks as before mentioned are mounted on separate arbors one within the other. The combined arbr and pinion carrying the shutter disk C being geared to the operating arm G is in a locked position untll operated, thereby permitting shutter disk C to lbe turned 0n disk C to' adjustthe exposure openings between said shutter disks, from nearly one half their circumference to a closed position without disturbing disk C, by the lever arm e from the front of the outer case as hereinafterexplained- When' said shutter disks are at rest they cover the lens as shown in Fig. ,4.

The diaphragm or stop disk J, as shown in Fig. 5, is made of thin metal and provided With the regular sto-p openin around its centerbearing, and secured to t e pinion K the hub of which passes throu h back V of the case and secure-d thereto y'the nut 41, as shown in Fig. 2. The pinion is geared to the gear wheel L, the hub of which also passes through the case V and riveted in the crank arm 37, and operated by the stud pin 39 fastened in said crank working in a slotV formed in the lever U pivoted on the hub of pinion K and-held thereon by' the said nut 41 (see Fig. 2). Said lever U extends up the back of the case and over to the front where the several stops are indicated as shown in Fig. 1. The stop disk is provided with V shaped notches on its periphery near each stop o ening corresponding Ito the stops into which thev hoey Ashaped end of the spring 40 drops whenv said stop disk is turned to the desired stop, thereby insuring the correct registering of said stop with the lens opening. l

The operation is as follows: The operating arm GrV of the shutter mechanism being in a closed position as shown by full and dotted lines in Fig. 1, the combined thumbwheel and pinion g is turned to the right swinging the lever H on the stud pin 13 in' the operating arm G into the position shown V12al vby dotted lines,

this ungeared position are held by the lever u connected with the releasing lever4 D act-` ing on the periphery of said disks. The o erating arm G and the ungearing lever y are then moved to a set position against the` in 42 in the case V, bringing the arm 16 o the operating arm G under the spring drawing the speed governor E tol its full length and by turning the thumbf G is thrown in gear which is the f set position'for the arm G ready to malg. InA

catch o,

wheel g to the left arm with the shutter pinion again,

an exposure by raising the release lever either by finger or pneumatic action. order to make a time exposureor focus, operating arm G is moved to a as 'in instantaneous exposures. The stop 18 is then moved into' the the that it cannot be released by the first releasing-movement of the lever D but permits the catch o to be released, allowing the arm 16 uof the operating arm G to pass to catch p where it will stop, leaving the shutter o en eitherfor time exposure or focusing. he arm s carrying the spring catch 24 having been raised at the same time above the shoulder c of the stop 18 by the releasing action of the lever D, on its return engages said shoulder c, throwing sto 18 olf the arm 20 of catch .1), leaving it, from the arm 16 of the operating arm G by the next ,releasing movement of the leverv D which will close the shutteras shown by full lines in Fig. 1.

' I do -not confine myself to the ungearin and gearing device of the operating arm described herein, neither do I confine myself tothe use of thefspeed governor E, as

neither are necessary toa successful operation ofmy improved photographic shutter. In cameras where dark slides are used the operating arm G ma be moved to a set position at any time efore the dark slide is withdrawn without ungearing said operating arm' from the combined arbor land that the lever. I-I and locking lever u may be left out of the construction. In cameras with fixed focus where the only obstacle between the sensitive film and the light is the shutter, the shutter disks may be closed before the operating arm isvmoved to a set position, and the shutter adjusted afterward to the exposures. the operating arm Gr may be regulated by the tension ef the main spring instead of compressed air as there are only two speeds lrequired in myimproved shutter. It will -be noticed by reference to theA position of the shutter disks when closed as shown in Fig. 4, ,that the exposure of the sensitive raising the pivot end of their set position position shown by` full lines in Fig. 1, locking the catch p soi ee to` be released:

v ter locking lever,

The speed .of-

is not' vsimultaneol'iswith the releasing ofthe'. shutter mechanism but near the stopping/thereof, which makes a revolution at exposure. -It is well understood that t ve releasing and stopping of any spring ac- Shereof, but "not when in'motion. d Having thu'. descr'bed my invention what I claim is. "'i

A1. photographic shutter v mechanism comprising an outer case having lens cell openings on one side of its center bearing, a rotary shutter composed of disks mounted on separate arbors one itted to turn within the other, each disk having an open space on or-'e side of era j spring pressure, a lever arm having a coupling connection with the inner shutter disk arbor for relatively adjusting said open spaces between the shutter disks `tionsproduces a jarmore or less to the parts itscenter bearing and overvlapping eachother' and'held'in contact latly' .y

for various timesfof exposures or closing the same and indicating each exposure from the front of the'outer case, a sprm actuated arm geared to the outer shutter for operation, a lever `arm pivotedto said spring actuated arm for throwing it? out and in gear with saidv outer shutter disk arbor when said spring vactuated arm is being moved to a set position, a lever for locking the shutter disks when ungeared from sai spring actuated arm, sprin detents and release catches'fengag'in sai sprin lactuated arm for detaining an releasing t e same stop lock lhavingan unlocking" arm whereby one of the detents and catches may be released simultaneously or. separately for time and instantaneous exposures, a compressed air oscillating s eed.v governor geared to said spring actuate arm having an adjustable exhaust valve, a diaphragm or stop disk having various light apertures around its center bearing, means for setting, indicating and insuring the correct positionp'of the diaphragm apertures over the lens openings from lthe front of the outer case, -a Afinger and pneumatic releasing lever engaging the spring detents and release catches and shutsubstantially as and for the purpose specified. y

2. In a photographic'shutter mechanism, the combination with an outer case having lens cell openings, a rotary shutter composed of disks mounted on separate arbors one tted to turn within the other each disk having an open space on one side of its center bearing and overlapping each other and held laterally in contact by spring pressure, means for relatively adjusting said open. spaces between the shutter disks for various .lengths of exposures and indicating the same from the front of the outer case, an actuator for actuating said rotary shutter, detents and releasing catches engaging said 'actuisk arbor ator, means for locking and unlocking one of said detente' and release catches whereby 1,047,508 Y Ai3 lightI aiperture around its center bearing, means 'ors ing, and indicating the correct said catches may be released separately or simultaneously by nger or pneumatic action for time and' instantaneous exposures, means for regulating the speed of the actuator for actuating said rotary shutter mechanism, a diaphragm having various light apertures around its center bearing, means for setting', indicating and insuring the correct position Aof the same over the lens open/3 ing from the front of the outer Y casefs/bstantiallyas specified. Y

' 3. In a photogifailic shutter mechanism, the combination with an outer case having lens cell openings, `a rotary disk shutter havingv an adjustable exposure Opening on one side of its center bearing, vmeans for adjusting and indicating said exposure opening for variouslengths of exposures from the front of the outer case,an actuator for ac'- tuating said rotary shutter engaging detents and release catches for detainin and releasing said actuator, means for loc 'n and unlocking vone of said detents an release catches whereby said catches and detente may' be released separately or simultaneously from said actuator by finger or pneumatic action for time and lnstantaneous exposures, a compressed air oscillating speed governor having the artition 3, countervsink or cup z', and va ve a: and geared to the actuator for actuating. said rotary shutter, 1a diaphragm provided with various position of said apertures over the lens opening, substantially as set forth.

the .combination with an outer casehaving lens cell ofenings, a rotary shutter composed of disks /rnounted on separate arbors one litt urn within the other each disk having an open space on one side 'of its center bearing and overlapping each other and held laterally in contact by spring pressure, means for relatively adjusting said open spaces between the shutter disks for various lengths o i' exposures and indicating "the sameirom the front of the outer case,

Jan actuator for actuating said rotarv shutter, detents and release catches engaging said actuator, means for locking and unlocking one of said detente and Arelease catches whereby said detente may be released separately or simultaneously by finger or pneumatic action for time and instantaneous ex posures, a diaphragm or stop disk having stop openings -around its center bearing,4 means for setting and indicating the correct position of the` several stop oppenings over the lens opening from the front of the outer case; substantiall as specified. C,

i GI BERT J. DICKSON.

Witnesses: y i

PAUL BAUER, i

HUGH B. MCLEAN.

4. In a photographic shutter 1nechanism,'A 

